Build Sites
Formerly referred to as Claims. Build Sites A Build Site is an exclusive area in which you can build. The alterable part of the Build Site acts as a "building zone" and it is found in the center of a "buffer zone". Building Zone A building zone is 525 x 525 x 450 blocks (or voxels). A single block is the smallest unit of material one can place with the Add Tool. A Build Site is the space you can customize by altering the land in many ways, building your own structures, and placing props. Once you have placed a Build Site, you will have all of the tools available to build with and you can open the building UI (User Interface) by pressing Tab on your keyboard or by using your mouse to click the Build Mode toggle. Buffer Zone The buffer zone is an area immediately surrounding the buildable area of a Build Site. The buffer zone prevents over-crowding on the map by leaving natural landscape between Build Sites, allowing space for harvestable materials to generate. No one can place a Build Site within the buffer zone of another Build Site. The buffer zone will show in red when attempting to place a Build Site, or when the "Show Buildable Land" toggle is ticked while viewing the map. Tips Though it's exciting to choose your Build Site as soon as you can, exploring other Build Sites first is a great way to understand the size of Build Sites, and the various ways in which they can be configured. Once you have staked your very first Build Site, experiment with the basics of building. Using the selection tool to remove all of the natural landscape within your Build Site will help you understand how large it is, because you will plainly see how wide, deep, and tall a single building space is. It's also easy to reverse the removal of the natural land by picking the Build Site up again or using CTRL + Z to undo the action before you leave the Build Site space or log off. :You can view videos demonstrating how to place (or "stake") a Build Site, delete a Build Site, in the Video Demonstration section near the end of this article. Transition from Beta to Live Note: The game was launched in June 2016, but the some of the notes below are being retained for those who helped with alpha and beta, so they understand changes if returning after a long hiatus. *Build Site Flags use zero materials to craft and can be made at the Replicator. All players who helped with alpha and beta testing that logged in by a specific date (May 2015) begin with two build site slots granted to them. One of those is pre-set on a Pioneer Landscape, but that build site slot can be used elsewhere instead. See the Pioneer Landscape page for details. :*Players who had an active account and character prior to the May 5th, 2015 resource and character wipe and the huge game update that followed were granted a minimum of 2 free root (main) Build Sites. :*Players starting a new account and character after May 5th, 2015 are granted a minimum of 1 free Build Site. :*To check the number you have available, press U''' to open your Build Site Management window and consult the left side which will have a count. For example, those who helped with beta and who logged in by the May 2015 wipe will see a 2/8 Build Sites listed, because they were granted two for their help. *As of June 2016, players must click on an Build Site Flag icon (currently to activate their Build Site slots. *'''All players can expand the number of Build Sites they have by using Daybreak Cash to purchase extra expansion slots via the Marketplace section of the Showcase. *The maximum slots for Build Sites is 8. Attached claims were removed because the overall size of a single build site is now as large the prior maximum for attached claims. *All players have the option to buy extra Build Site slots using Daybreak Cash from the Marketplace. This can be done by pressing U''' to open your Build Site Management window and by then clicking on the "Get More Sites" button if you do not yet have the maximum allowed. Choosing a Location Pioneer Landscapes After you create your character and log in for the first time, you will find your character is on a special, flat landscape to introduce you to the basics of building. This landscape, known as the Pioneer Landscape, makes it easy to experiment with building, but you can delete that site and place a fresh Build Site on landscape (zone) in the world. When you delete a Build Site the flag will reappear in your inventory. :See the Pioneer Landscape page for more details on the topic, including why you may want to stay for awhile. Landscapes and Biomes As of 2016 there are six different land-based biomes to choose from. These include: the Desert Biome, Old Growth Forest Biome, Tropical Biome, Tundra Biome, Deciduous Biome, and Volcanic Biome. You can also stake your Build Site in the Ocean Biome, which surrounds and breaks up the land mass of most landscapes. All landscapes have two terrain biomes and a variety of combinations and all servers (worlds) have identical landscapes. Players can travel freely between all servers, so if you find a spot you love on one landscape and find it taken, you can try another server to see if it is open. If you decide to, you can delete the build site set for you on the pioneer landscape. :New players may want to read about easy travel from anywhere on the Spire page. '''Viewing Available Land Before you can place a Build Site flag, you must find a location that is available. To do so, press M''' to open your map. Near the top of the map is a rectangular UI element with filters. Check the box that says "Show Buildable Land". (See the second set of images on this page. It shows the box you need to check and what the map will look like after it's checked.) Any area already showing up as large red squares represents land that has already been acquired by other players. Prior to May 2015, players could not Build Site surface caves; however more surface caves were added and they can now be used as build sites. Your Build Site can be placed right at the edge of another player's Build Site buffer zone. The buffer zone for your Build Site can overlap with another player's Build Site, but you can never build inside the buffer zone areas. Remember, the red area buffer zones exist to prevent the landscape from being overcrowded and to allow plenty of room for players to harvest surface ore, minerals, and trees. '''Location Tips and Tricks The following tips may help you choose a location quickly, even if the map is rather full: *'Chop down trees or use your grappling hook:' While you are looking for a location you may also find a view you like that is blocked by a tree (or several trees). In such situations, you can either chop the tree down before attempting to place the Build Site or place the Build Site, which will remove all three Prop-Trees. You can also leave the trees in place and use your Grappling Hook to estimate the view from a height you will likely see when you build. *'Move away from the main (near-central) Spire' - though many players opt to place Build Sites next to a main (near-center) Spire, this is no longer necessarily an advantage. As of launch (2016) players can easily travel without running, to a thanks to changes in the User Interface. The crafting stations can also be placed using zero materials, provided one has placed a build site. See the Build Mode page for details. 'How to use a Build Site Flag' After you've crafted a Build Site flag at a Replicator, and chosen a location that can be acquired: #Press i''' to open your inventory and locate the Build Site flag #Right click on the flag. This will shift the screen to a topographical map view #Use your mouse to adjust placement by using the tips and tricks in this section #When you are satisfied with the location, L click with the mouse to place the Build Site. A window will open that asks you to confirm your decision. '''Placement Tips and Tricks: :*Holding down the CTRL Key and using the mouse wheel to scroll in will allow a more detailed view of the area you are placing the Build Site in. :*Simply moving your mouse around normally will allow you to move the Build Site around on the surface. :*Holding down the R mouse button and moving the mouse around will rotate your view on the map for better placement; for example, this is helpful if you want to see how close to the edge of a mountain you may be. :*Using the scroll wheel on the mouse alone allows you to raise or lower the Build Site up and down relative to the landscape; this is useful if you know you want to build an extra tall building or sink it deeper in the ground to build an underground lair. (See the image to the right for examples of using the scroll wheel to effect placement height/depth.) Bear in mind that the the box you see for your Build Site while placing it will be relative to the surface by default; most of it will be above ground, but a fair amount will also be underground. This relative default depth allows you to cut into the ground and make a flat surface to begin building on and it affords space the cut away area below to provide a hidden area for experimental building; if you've explored other Build Sites, you'll see that many players set up workshops underground to hide their crafting stations. Note that if part or all of your Build Site is far above the ground, you'll need to construct some sort of platform before you build anything. Doing so can create a floating effect. For example, think of a hovering spaceship. In the image to the right that shows a Build Site being placed, #3 is an example of a Build Site that had very little contact with the ground (only the left corner touches land), so the owner would need to build a platform out of the hillside or above in order to have a foundation for anything else built on that Build Site. Experimenting with placement :If you are dissatisfied with the placement of a Build Site, it costs nothing to delete the Build Site and place it again right away. The very first time you place a Build Site you may not line it up with the landscape as well as you'd like, so being able to pick it up right away and place it again is useful until you are confident using the mouse and placement tips and ticks described above. Deleting a Build Site will revert any changes you've made to the landscape; the Build Site flag itself and any props will automatically be placed in the Overflow Inventory (press i), which will show up as a clock icon in your bag. (See the Build Site Management section for details on deleting a Build Site below). Attached Build Sites Attached Build Sites were removed when the size of base building sites was expanded to account for the largest possible space. The new space is the same as the prior maximum if one had added all attachments. See the post on the official forums that describes the change. Build Site Management The Build Site Management window is used for numerous functions like setting permissions for visitors and friends, changing the site name and publishing it to make it easy to travel to, but in the context of this page, only the topics of how to delete a site and how to track the time your sites remain in the world is addressed. :For more details on all features related to this topic, see the Build Site Management page. All features and functions related to Build Site management (eg. paying upkeep, changing permissions, etc.) can be accessed from anywhere in the world except for deleting a Build Site. In order to delete a Build Site you must be on the island where it is placed. 'Active Days' The count of Active Days functions like upkeep or "rent" to maintain housing in other games. Instead of handling this upkeep with a currency system as is common in many other game, the Landmark approach is to allow your site to remain in place based on the frequency and regularity of logging into the game. 'Time Progression' The time you have your Build Site or Build Sites will is based on your time between log-ins. The info below is taken directly from an official thread, in which they explained the new system: First, you start with an initial Upkeep Timer *New player – 7 days *Then, for every 2 days you log in once this system is active, you get 1 additional day that you can protect your Build Site(s). *The maximum length they can be protected for between logins is 90 days Players who were active at the time of the change started with the maximum days they had under the previous system. Due to the nature of closed beta, check the official forums for any changes to the system. 'Failure to Log in' A design of each Build Site is created and all resources and props are returned to you via mail attachment. :The design can be placed again later, however, at this time saved design will be enormous because it is the entire Build Site, often making them difficult to adjust and place again. For this reason, it's wise to periodically make smaller segments of your designs that are easier to handle. For example, you could make a design of your castle tower, the front gate, and so on, so the pieces can be placed in sections. Making smaller designs is also helpful should someone come and Build Site the space you were previously in; they are easier to alter to fit a new landscape if you must move. :See the page about Designs for tips and tricks on placing them. 'Deleting a Build Site' There are times when you may want to delete (relinquish) a main Build Site (eg. moving to a new location). Doing so is simple. #Press U to open the Build Site Management window. #Click the Build Site title for the Build Site you want to delete (numbered by default). #Beneath the area in the Build Site Management window where you pay upkeep, you'll see the Delete button. Clicking on this will ask you to verify your decision and remove the Build Site. :If you've built on the Build Site already and placed props, make sure you have adequate space to in your inventory before you delete because anything you have placed (materials used to build, props, and the Build Site flag will be placed in inventory overflow (a clock icon will appear in your bag) *'Important!' The Build Site flag can only be placed again from the bag section of your inventory, so make sure you have at least one slot for it (or each Build Site flag if you delete several) in the bag section of your inventory. All features and functions related to Build Site management can be accessed from anywhere in the world except for deleting a Build Site. In order to delete a Build Site you must be on the island where it is placed. Video Demonstrations :The video below may use outdated terminology or show mechanics that changed by launch. Even so they may be useful to new players until newer videos can be added. *How to place a place a Build Site with tips and tricks. *Why you should relax, make a mess, and how to delete a Build Site Possible Bugs *Build Sites (rarely) pack before the upkeep runs out. Beta solution: if you've invested a lot of work in your Build Site, make templates in sections (eg. N half, S half) so it's easier to place again. Log in and check that your Build Site is where it should be after a big game update, since this bug typically occurs around updates. *Placed props do not always pack up when a Build Site is deleted or if it expires. Beta solution: manually pick up props before deleting a Build Site. In case of an expired Build Site, place the flag in the same spot as soon as you can and pick up the props manually; you may have to remove the land to pick up props underground. *Though a system to send a mail to players three days before a Build Site expires was added, this new feature has been riddled with bugs. In some cases, it is not sent and the Build Site expires as it did with the previous system. Category:Building